Odds & Ends

The so-called “eternal flame” at a famed war memorial in the former Soviet Union nation of Kyrgyzstan has been prematurely extinguished by the nation’s gas company. The Kyrgyzgas utilities provider shut off service to the famed “Victory Square” war memorial in the capital city of Bishkek after government authorities failed to pay off a KGS 440,000 ($9,400) debt. The head of the Bishkek gas supply services told reporters the bill has been outstanding for three years. Bishkek’s “Eternal Light” was erected to honor the millions of Soviets who died fighting Nazi Germany. Officials in the economically depressed nation say they hope the dispute can be resolve by May 9, so the eternal flame can be re-lit in time for the day on which most former-Soviet republics celebrate victory in World War II.

Dateline: Indiana

An outraged passenger filed a complaint with police in Indianapolis claiming a flight attendant “rudely” woke him up as his plane was taxiing toward a gate. Arizonan Kevin Johnson, 37, was a passenger on a chartered Million Air flight that landed at the Indianapolis Airport around 8:30 a.m. on April 22. Johnson told airport police he was sleeping but was “rudely interrupted” when an unidentified flight attendant tapped him on the knee with a magazine. According to The Indianapolis Star, Officer Ricky Seconds took down the passenger’s complaint, noting in his report that Johnson “had no physical signs of injury, no complaint of pain and no paralysis from the magazine.”

Dateline: Florida

A north Florida woman was hospitalized in serious condition after her boyfriend allegedly mistook her for a wild hog and shot her in the legs. The Flagler County Sheriff’s department says Steven Egan, 52, was in a tent with girlfriend Lisa Simmons on the evening of April 21 when he spotted a hog. The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports Egan told authorities he left the tent and went to go look for it. While searching, he said he heard a noise, thought it was the hog and fired his .30-caliber rifle in that direction. Unfortunately, the noise was Simmons, who was struck in both legs by the bullet. She was listed in serious condition following surgery at Halifax Medical Center. No charges were filed against Egan. No word on whether the couple is still together.

Dateline: Oregon

The small town of Boring, Ore., has agreed to become a sister city to the tiny hamlet of Dull, Scotland. The unofficial partnership of Boring and Dull allows the two towns to promote one another in a joint tourism campaign. The Oregonian reports that the idea originally came from Scottish tourist Elizabeth Leighton, who passed through the town in Clackamas County earlier this year. Officials in Oregon are already planning to sell “Boring and Dull” T-shirts. Boring has a population of some 8,000 and was named after homesteader William H. Boring. Dull, on the other hand, boasts a mere 84 residents and may derive its name from a Gaelic word meaning “meadow” or “snare.”

Dateline: Idaho

According to a report in the Bonner County Daily Bee, 30-year-old John Ernest Cross was charged with a felony after allegedly ordering someone to perform the “moonwalk” at gunpoint. Police say they were called to Cross’ home in Clark Fork on April 23 after receiving a report that the homeowner was on drugs, had pointed a rifle at another man and was demanding he perform Michael Jackson’s signature move. A probable cause affidavit describes Cross’ weapon as an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, but Cross claimed during a court appearance on April 25 that he only pulled an Airsoft pellet gun. No explanation was given for the moonwalk demand. Cross was charged with felony aggravated assault and held on $20,000 bond.

Dateline: Texas

In addition to not posting pictures of yourself committing crimes on Facebook (see last week’s Odds & Ends), you should probably not use Twitter to taunt police. Police in Pearland say 20-year-old Lamar University student Mahogany Mason-Kelly recently sent out a message on Twitter, bragging, “I still got a warrant in pearland..those pigs will NEVER catch me!!!...NEVER!!!” Unfortunately, Police in Pearland—located just south of Houston—monitor Twitter for keywords including “Pearland.” Lt. Onesimo Lopez of the Pearland Police Department told KTRK-13 news that the department does the occasional searches to “keep abreast of what’s going on in town.” Officers took the Tweet as a personal challenge, tracked Mason-Kelly to her university in Beaumont and had her arrested by campus police. She was wanted on several outstanding warrants, including impersonating her sister during a traffic stop on May 17.